Laughing lord
LORD Macfarlane, honorary life president of Diageo, has had a few amusing moments while rubbing shoulders with the great and good of the golfing world through the global drinks company's involvement with the Ryder Cup.
On one occasion, he introduced a somewhat bemused Tiger Woods to a star-struck actor dressed as Johnnie Walker.
The Bottom Line enjoyed hearing this tale on the sidelines of this week's annual meeting of Macfarlane Group, the packaging company founded by Lord Macfarlane in 1949. But this was not his best story.
He recalled a discussion with American golf officials about who might come out on top at the 2014 Ryder Cup.
"Do you know Gleneagles?" he was asked.
Lord Macfarlane replied: "We own Gleneagles."
After the US golf officials picked their jaws up off the floor, they put them to good use inquiring about the availability of suites at the hotel for the 2014 event.
Senior grandees
WHILE policemen continue getting younger, it is good to note that in corporate life the grandees remain reassuringly senior.
At Barclays' recent shareholder meeting, one disgruntled former bank employee said to the newly-appointed chairman Sir David Walker: "I am a pensioner but I am younger than you." Sir David, age 73-and-a-quarter, said: "Most of you here are."
Dealing in facts
HOT off the press is 125 Years of Investing, the history of Alliance Trust by former bankers' institute boss Charles Munn.
Its publication came as shareholder John Stein did his best to liven up a subdued annual meeting by asking what the trust's returns since 1888 would have been without the "arrogance and greed" of directors and their bonuses.
Chairman Karin Forseke responded with Swedish efficiency that Mr Munn would be giving a talk on his book later.
However, retired banker Mr Munn later said over lunch: "That's one question I won't be answering. I'm a historian, I don't deal in counterfactuals."
We'll drink to that
IT is good to see traditions are being maintained in the Scotch whisky industry.
Stewart Laing kindly invited The Bottom Line to his office for a chat about his new whisky venture after discussing the demerger of Douglas Laing & Co, the family-owned blending and bottling business he had run with brother Fred for more than 40 years.
On hearing our interest in taking up the offer, Stewart insisted: "Just make sure you don't bring your car!"
We'll drink to that.
Gilbert unperturbed
LONG-standing Aberdeen Asset Management chief executive Martin Gilbert must have felt on safe ground last week when he batted away a query about possible retirement plans by pointing to the career longevity of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Sir Alex, 71, has now announced his retirement after 26 years in charge of Manchester United but Mr Gilbert, 58, is unperturbed.
He said: "I'm surprised he's retiring but, you never know, I may consider it when I'm in my seventies."
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